10 Ways to Celebrate Rabbit Week

This week, it’s time for our long-eared, whiskered friends to get some recognition! Whether you’ve kept rabbits as pets, get giddy over seeing them in the wild, or simply admire them from afar, if you love the critters, you might want to take part in Rabbit Week. Here are 10 ways to celebrate.

10. Don’t Eat Rabbits

That’s a given! To celebrate rabbits, if you normally eat them—or were thinking about it—how about joining them this week instead and munching on some sweet, yummy carrots? They’re packed with nutrients (hello, vitamin A) and if Bugs eats them, there’s got to be some appeal, right? Dip them in your favorite dressing, or jazz them up with something sweet, like yogurt.

9. Adopt a Rabbit

Many shelters carry rabbits for adoption as well as dogs and cats. If you’d like a new rabbit friend, check your nearest shelter to see if they have any, or can direct you to any homeless bunnies. Before giving a bunny as a gift, however, make sure that the person is responsible, old enough to care for the pet, and knows all of the work involved with keeping a companion animal.

8. Don’t Wear Fur

This one should also be a given. Killing rabbits for their fur is a senseless, needless violent act. Most of us would be horrified if someone tried to kill a cat or dog for his or her fur, so we shouldn’t stand for it when people kill bunnies, too. You can sign a petition against fur here.

7. Provide Resources for Rabbits

We like to keep our backyard completely wild; beyond the large section that’s fenced in for our dog and child, we keep the “woodsy” section of our yard just that—like woods. We don’t mow it, we let it flow with native plants, shrubs, and grass, and keep it that way for the animals in our rapidly industrializing suburbs. When I was little, it was common to see rabbits—as well as other wildlife, such as turkeys, deer, turtles, and other animals—on a daily basis. Now, we mostly have birds, and we’re lucky if we get a glimpse of an animal after all of the development our town has seen. If you can keep any area around your home as a safe haven for rabbits and other wildlife—as well as a place for native plants to bloom—go for it!